East Central Reporter

The Illinois General Assembly completed the first week of its annual Veto Session in Springfield without any legislative action from Democrats. Lawmakers are scheduled to return on October 28, 2025, after the summer adjournment.

Traditionally, the Veto Session has served as a period for legislators to consider overriding gubernatorial vetoes on bills passed during the spring session. In recent years, however, it has also been used to advance new legislation unrelated to vetoes. With Democratic supermajorities in both chambers and few bills vetoed by Governor JB Pritzker, significant action during this session is uncertain.

One focus of this year’s session may be an “omnibus” energy bill (Senate Bill 25), which could result in higher electricity costs. Legislators may also address a mass-transit budget gap through potential tax increases, including a $1.50 per-delivery fee on online purchases and food delivery, as well as new sales taxes on various services.

Illinois State Representative Chris Miller commented on discussions about immigration enforcement during the session: “The truth is, Joe Biden’s administration allowed millions of criminal illegal immigrants to flood into our great Nation and JB Pritzker’s pro-criminal policies have given over 550,000 illegals a free pass in Illinois,” Miller stated. “Pritzker called federal law enforcement officers ‘jack-booted thugs’ for their efforts to protect American citizens at a time when Democratic leaders in Illinois refuse to do so. JB Pritzker should be thanking President Trump for launching Operation Midway Blitz, but instead he is spewing dangerous rhetoric and inciting more political violence.”

Miller was elected as a Republican representative for Illinois’ 101st House District in 2023, succeeding Reggie Phillips.

The second week of the Veto Session will take place from October 28 through October 30. Citizens can follow proceedings via ilga.gov/House/AudioVideo.

In other news from Springfield, former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan was ordered to report to federal prison on October 13 after his conviction on corruption charges earlier this year. Madigan received a sentence of seven and a half years following presentations that detailed patterns of bribery and misconduct.

On fiscal matters, Illinois faces an expected $267 million budget deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30. The shortfall is attributed mainly to federal tax cuts that reduced state revenue projections by $827 million from income and sales taxes; other revenue sources partially offset these losses. Governor Pritzker has asked agency leaders to reduce spending by four percent as lawmakers continue working with limited funds.

Regarding public safety concerns, State Representative John Cabello has filed HB 1028 seeking repeal of Governor Pritzker’s SAFE-T Act. Chris Miller has introduced articles of impeachment against Governor Pritzker with HR0466 following concerns about crime rates in Chicago and statewide policy responses.

“The facts tell a different story:

Over Labor Day weekend this year, nearly 60 people were shot, eight fatally.

Just this past weekend, 25 more people were shot, five fatally.

For the thirteenth straight year, Chicago has had the most homicides of any U.S. city.”

These statistics highlight ongoing challenges related to crime in Chicago even as legislative debates continue at the state level.

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